Winch, hoist, and the like



M. F. sAsGEN WINCH, HOIST AND.THE LIKE 7 July 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16, 1948 v,

July 17, 1951 M. F. SASGEN 1,

WINCH, HOIST AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 16, 1948 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 buzz/4731A- W jfiaqgel/x/ .53 MM L @WM/ @295.

Patented July 17, 1951 Matthias F. Sasg'en, River ForesbIllg, assignorto Sasgen Derrick Chicago,-Ill.-,- a corporation 1 of Illinois Application January 16, 1948, Serial M02165? 2 ciaimsi (o1. 254L186) This inventio'n'relates to winches, hoists andlike apparatus, and particularly the invention relates to such apparatus Wherein'the lowering of the load is controlled by an automatic braking action that requires positive actuation of the ap'-' paratus in a lowering direction.

In the patent to Jesse M. Benson, No. 2,254,989", patented September 2, 1941, there is disclosed-a winch or hoisting apparatus that embodies an advantageous safety arrangement that tends to minimize the risk normally involved in hoisting of heavy loads or in raising and lowering scaffolds and the like, and in my cope'nding application- Serial No. 745,16 5filed' May '1, 1947, an improved structure is disclosed which serves to increase thesafety of operationof winches-,hoists and apparatus such as that illustrated in the aforesaid Benson patent. V H

The safety feature that is thusdisclo'sed in the aforesaid Benson patent comprises an automatic brake that is effective in a load-"lowering opera tioii to apply braking forces to the drum in such a manner as to require actuation of the operat ing means such as a crank handle in a lowering direction in order tocauselowering of the load In the use of hoists or winches of the aforesaid character inthe field it; has been found that workmen place great reliance in the automatic braking action that is attained as aforesaid iii the winches or hoists made under and in accord there may he objectionable wear of the br'aking'? surfaces as well as the 'threads" of the screwand nut structure, and to enable compensation for such wear to berea'dily, easily and safely accomplished is the primary object ortne i nventicn. As a further factor in connection with suc-h wear, it has in many instances been found that where metal-to-me-ta'i braking couples have been used in such winches, the braking or control action has been somewhat-jerky'or irregular, and yet, withthe prior structures; the wide range of wear" that is involved when-composition braking surfaces new bevem loyed has rendered it'impra'ctiaitb utilize such composition braking elements'in' Safe'ty Winches. It is tlil'eforeanothe'r object of this invention to enable composition brake mate: rial, or other sinoothacting but relativelyiast' wearing braking materials, tobe advantageously used in such safety 'W'mches;

Other and related objects are to accomplish the foregoing in such a way asto' attain the same" increased safety of operation that is inherent the structure disclosed inmy aforesaid copen'de ing application; to" enable the major" elementsof' the brake applying means to 'be formed'sepa rately from the operating or crankshaft of'the winch; to soform and relate the'elernentsflof such brake applying means to; be made in such a Way as to prevent lockingthereof in an ineffectiverelation; and to simplify assembly,- maintenance andadj-us'tment' of suc structure,

Other and further objects of the-present-i v'entionwi-l-l be apparent froin'the following de' scription-and claims" and are illustratewinthe accompanying drz'al-wirigswhich,- by way "of illu's' tration show a preferred embodiment the principIe thereOfand what I now considerto be the best rnode in which I- have contemplated applying that principle-.-- Other emtcuiments -of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may'te usedandstructural'changes may-ice madeasdesired-by those skilled iii the art" without departing front the present may: tion and the purviewof the appended claims:-

Fig} L is an end elevational view of a embodying the features or the intention and showin tne crank nanme in safety position;

- Fig; 2 isa side elevational view taken-- partially in transverse section and showing the winch with the crankhar-iclle in' its norm-at or operating position? Figs. and 4= are fragmentary sectional views? showing the parts of thebr'al z'e operating me'ch'a nism in different positions;

Fig: 5' is a complete sectional' View taken of the brake and brake operating structure; and-- Figs;- 6 and "i' are end views of the opposed Gainsurface ends of two elements of the brake operating structurei In" the form chosen for disclosure herein" the invention is embodied in arelatively small or light Winch Hi having the o eratingmeans mounted permanently the wincli fr ai-r'ie anci three safety features that cooperate in attaining safe operation even in the hands of an unskilled operator. Thus, as will be evident in Figs. 1 and 2, the Winch II] has a pair of elongated and vertically disposed side frames II and I2 connected together in spaced relation to afford space therebetween within which a winding drum I3 is rotatably supported on a transverse drum shaft I4 that extends between and is mounted in suitable bearing bosses I5 formed on the respective side frames II and I2. At their lower ends the side frames II and I2 are connected in the desired spaced relation by a spacer bar I5 and connecting bolts I1, while at their upper ends, a spacer sleeve I8 and a connecting bolt I9 serve to hold the frames II and I2 in the desired relation.

The drum I3 as herein shown comprises a cylindrical barrel having a plain flange 2I and a driving or gear flange 22 secured to opposite ends thereof as by welding at 23, and the flanges 2I and 22have central hubs 24 that embrace the shaft I4 and afiord the desired rotatable bearings for the drum I3. The gear flange 22 in the present instance has external gear teeth 25 formed about the periphery thereof, and the gear flange 22 is disposed so as to be adjacent to the side frame I2, which is termed the crank frame of the winch, and this crank frame I2 is arranged to support, and in part to house,

the actuating and control mechanism whereby the drum movements are controlled. Thus the side frame I2 is so formed at its upper end as to afford a chamber 21 that is disposed outwardly, or to the right in Fig. 2, from the outermost face of the gear flange 22, and this chamber is defined by a right hand wall I2A and side flanges I2B so as to open inwardly of the winch, or the left in Fig. 2. The open inner or left hand face of the chamber 21, Fig. 2, is closed by a closure plate 28 that is held in position by pins 29, so that the chamber 21 affords a housing for the major elements of a safety braking mechanism as will hereinafter be described in detail.

In affording the safety braking mechanism as Well as an actuating means for winding or unwinding a cable 0 on the drum I3, such means are mounted permanently on the frame of the winch, rather than as a separate unit or attachment as shown in the aforesaid Benson patent, but it will be recognized that the features of the present invention may be utilized in such a separate unit or attachment. Thus, an actuating shaft 30 is extended through the two side frames II and I2 so as to pass through the chamber 21 somewhat above the upper edge of the gear flange 22, and the left hand end of the shaft 30 is rotatably supported in a hub 3| formed on the side frame II, while an I enlarged cylindrical head 30H on the other end of the shaft 30 is rotatably supported within an outwardly projecting hub 32 formed on the wall I2A of the chamber 21. At its outer or left hand end the cylindrical head 30H has a radially related tongue 311T that projects to the right and is embraced by the bifurcated end of a handle-supporting casting 33, the casting 33 being pivoted to the tongue 3UT by a pivot bolt 34 so as to permit reversal of the handle from the operating position of Fig. 2 to the safety position of Fig. 1. The handle casting 33 has a radial arm portion 33A in which a radial arm 35 is secured by rivets 36, and at the end of the arm 35 a laterally projecting crank handle 31 is mounted. Thus when the handle 31, is in the operating position shown in Fig. 2, the operator may grasp the handle 31 and impart rotative movements to the shaft 35, and such movements are effective to cause operation of the winding drum I3 as well as the safety braking mechanism.

In attaining such operation, the shaft 30 has a pinion 40 mounted thereon for free rotative and longitudinal sliding movement and this pinion 40 is arranged so as to mesh with the gear teeth 25 of the gear flange 22.

At its left hand end, the pinion 40 has a reduced sleeve portion 49A, the end of which is formed to afford a plurality of gradually sloping cam surfaces 400. Just to the left of the sleeve portion 40A, a cam head 4| is mounted on the shaft 30 so .as to be adjustable longitudinally thereon, and a key 4IK seated in the shaft 33 engages a groove 4IG in the head 4| to hold the same against rotation on the shaft 30. The cam head 4I is of a diameter somewhat greater than the sleeve portion 40A, and at its right hand end the head 4| has an annular wall 41W extended therefrom so as to loosely sur round that portion of the sleeve portion 40A on which the cam surfaces 450 are formed, thereby to protect such surfaces from the entry of stones or other objectionable foreign matter. Within the wall 4IW, the cam head M has .a plurality of cam surfaces 4IC formed thereon so as to be complemental and opposed to the cam surfaces 430, .and in the present instance three such cam surfaces are formed on each member so as to be disposed in endwise opposed relation. The cam surfaces each extend through and each cam surface terminates in an end surface, as MB or 4IE, that is in a radial relation with respect to the axis of the shaft 30.

To the left of the cam head 4!, an adjusting nut 42 .and a lock nut 43 are disposed on the shaft 30 in engagement with a threaded portion 33F so that the cam head 4I may be adjusted toward and away from the gear 40 through a limited range. Throughout such range, the nut 42 clears the key 4IK by reason of a. counterbore 42B formed in the right hand end of the nut 42, while the wall MW and the sleeve portion 45A are so related in length that throughout such adjustment the end of the wall 4IW does not contact the adjacent side edges of the teeth of the pinion 4B.

To the right of the pinion 40, and within the chamber 21, a safety ratchet 45 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 36. A safety pawl 46, pivoted on the bolt I9 within the chamber 21, extends to the right in Fig. 1, and is arranged to engage teeth 45T of the ratchet 45 to prevent rotation of the ratchet 45 in a counter-clockwise or unwinding direction, Fig. 1. The ratchet 45 has a. central web 45W that engages a smooth or cylindrical surface of the shaft 313, and the wider flange portion of the ratchet 45 outwardly of the web 45W is arranged to afford opposite faces formed flat and parallel so as to be disposed in planes perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 30. and these annular flat faces are utilized as friction clutch surfaces. Thus a metallic friction disc 41 is rotatably mounted on theshaft 30 between the ratchet 45 and an annular hand end of the head 33H. On the other or left hand side of the ratchet 45 a metallic friction disc 48 is mounted with a press fit on an annular rabbeted portion formed on the right hand end, Fig. 5, of the pinion 49 sothat the friction disc 48 may be forced to the right or in a clamping or braking direction by endwise movement of the pin- Between the discs 41 and 48 and the areas-m9 adjacent. faces f t e ratchet, comp sition friction discs MC and 480 are. respectively disposed in a loose relation on the. shaft 30: so,th at they maybe clamped between the discs 41 and 48 and the ratchet to attain the desiredgsinooth braking action.

When the winch ms being used for supporting a; load, the cable C will of'course apply the load to the drum I3 in what may betermed an un-v winding direction so as to resist windingmove: ment of the drum, and hence thisload .orforce acts to hold the pinion 40' against rotation in; a winding direction, and the lead; ofthe cam surfaces 40C and 410 is such that when the crank handle 31 is operated in a clockwise or winding direction, Fig. 1, the effect willbe to forcethe cam surfaces 4IC along the cam surfacesMlO so as to shift the pinion 40 to the right, Fig. 2; thereby to cause the pinion 4D to move from its released'position of Fig. 4 to the clamped or braking-position of Figs. 3 and 5. With this arrangement, the load will tend to produce a similar right hand movement of the pinion 40 whenwthe shaft -50 is held against rotation, since under such circumstances the pinion 40 will tend to move counter-clockwise, Fig. 1, so as to, move, its cam surf-aces 400 along the then stationary camnsurfaces no. This will clampthe friction disc 41, ".0, 4,8 and 480 with respect to the ratchet-45. Thus, the operation of the handle 3'! in a wind: ingdirection serves through the cam surface 49C and 41C to engage friction clutch elements that connect the shaft 30., the ratchet 45 and, the pinion 40 as a unit which transmits the windingmotion of the drum [3. As such winding progresses, the pawl 46 rides over the teeth 451' of-theratchet, thereby to prevent, retrograde motion of the ratchet, and this of course, serves as a v safety to prevent undesired unwinding of; the drum, In addition, a safety pawlv 50 is pivoted on, the bolt [9 just to the, left of the, plate v28, Fig. 2, so as, to project to the left, Fig. l, and this pawl50 rides over the teeth 25 of the gear. flange rise as to hold the drum [3 against. unwinding movement. It should be; noted that. while, the safety pawl 50 is desirable, andaifords an, addi;v tional safety feature, it is common practice; in winches of this character to rely entirely-upon the ratchet 45 to hold, the drum against unwind; 1 .8, movement, and to utilize the pawl 50 orits equivalent only in abrake or clutch releasing oneration as will hereinafter be, described.

In the use of the winch !0, as for example: in the raising or lowering of a scaffo1d, the scaffold is connected to the lower spacer bolts II by means including hanger bars 52. The cable C; has; one end connected to the drum l3 and is. than extended upwardly past and to the right, Fig; 1,, oi-a cable guide spool 53 that is journaled' on a bolt, 54 that is extended between arms .55; that. are extended tothe left, Fig. 1, from the upper; ends of; he, respective frames H and l2. Additional arms 56 are secured to the arms 55'by the bolt; 54 so as. to project additionally to the left, and a hand grip including a bolt 51 and a sleeve 518 is extended betweenthe .arms56 so as-to be disposed abovean operating ring 58-. formed adjacentiao the end of the safety pawl 50. Thusjzhe opera: r m y raspcr restone hand. onthehand grip 51 while using one finger or the thumb of this hand-to.raise or release thepawl 5B when-this=- is required'to enable the load to-beloweredi Withrespect to the attainment of such lowerto;,:-.be;eng'agediwiththe ratchet at-alrtimes. and hence the ratchet 45 is :held againstretrorademovement. Thus, in order to enable, the desiredalowering movement of the load to be attained, thepinion 40 must be released from, the ratchet 45 .in such a way as topermit controlled retrograde or lowering rotation of the pinion 40 with; respect tothe then stationary ratchet 45.. It:will bev recognized, that inthe course of the preceding raising or lifting operation the operation; ofthecrank handle 3'! in a winding directionhasbeen resisted by the load through the pinion 40 so as to thereby tightly clamp the friction discs, 41, 41C, .48 and 480 between the shoulderv 30S-and pinion 40 and the opposed annular faces of the ratchet 45, andhence as a preliminary to a load lowering operation it is usual: ly, necessary to release or substantially reduce theclamping forces that have thusbeen set up between the-various clutch elements. Thus while the safety pawl is allowedv to remain in, its engaged or safety position, the crank handle 3.! is turned slightly in a reverse or lowering direction, thereby to cause the cam surfaces M0 to be backed away from the cam surfaces 400, thereby to free thepinion 40. This constitutes a releasing operation of the handle 37! and serves to release the previously established clamping forces between the various friction clutch elements, thereby to free the pinion 40 from the restrain-v ing, influence of the then stationary ratchet 45. When suchrelease of the pinion 4D has thus been accomplished the safety pawl 5i! is still effective, thereby to hold the drum l3 against unwinding movement, and to initiate the desired lowering movement, the pawl must be released. When this is to be done, the operator normally holds the; crank handle 31 with one hand, while grasping the hand grip 57 and the pawl 55with the other hand in the manner hereinbefore described. When the load is relatively small, the pawl 58 may be withdrawn without utilizing the crank handle to release the load or force on the pawl 59. In such ,an instance, when the pawl 50 is released, the shaftis held by the crank handle 31 against rotation, while the load normally becomes effective to rotate the pinion it] slightly on the shaft 30 in a clamping direction so as to thereby cause the pinion 4D to move in a right hand direction, Figs. 2 and 4. This effects a clamping of the friction discs and such clamping forces cause a braking action which stops the pinion 40 after but-a slight rotation in a lowering or unwinding direction. In the event that the load is relatively great, it is usually necessary to rotate the handle in awinding direction in order to relieve the force on the safety pawl 50, and when this is done, the parts move to the clamped relation, shown in Fig. 3. This relation thus conditions the apparatus for brakingoperation as the load is lowcred,

In such lowering operation the handle is rotated in a lowering or unwinding direction, thereby to. progressively tend to release the clutches that act on the ratchet l5, and as this releasing action takes place, the load acts on the,

Moreover, thisforjce must be.

are afforded by the friction clutch frieans ini'accordance with the load. u i

In prior winches and hoists made under and in accordance with the aforesaid Benson patent','the operation of the safety brake that is described in such Benson patent has in most instances been such as to afford complete safety of operation of the apparatus, but it has been found that in the hands of a careless or unskilled operator the safety brake may in effect be inadvertently disabled in the course of the release operation that has been above described. In other words, the releasing of the various clutch elements by movement of the pinion or a connected part axiallyof the shaft may in the prior structures be carried to such an extent as to cause the pinion or the related element to be locked to the operating shaft so firmly that the load applied to the pinion from the drum of the winch will be'unable to rotate the pinion relative to the shaft and back to its clamping or braking position, and hence the full force of the load will be transmitted to the handle so as to break the operators grip. In my aforesaid copending application, means were disclosed whereby such undesired locking of the pinion to the operating shaft is positively 'eliminated, and such means were effective to limit the rotating movement of the pinion with respect-to the operating shaft that endwise wedging movement of the pinion against the related or opposed end surface of the limiting collar on the operating shaft was prevented. Under the present invention, through the use of cam surfaces 400 and MC, the need for such a limiting means is eliminated, since the pinion MI is positively actuated only in a brake-applying direction on right hand rotation.

By reason of the use of the cam surfaces 40C and MC to actuate the gear M1 in a brake-applying direction, it is possible to afford opposed wearing surfaces of relatively large area so that these surfaces are not subjected to wear to an objectionable extent. Moreover, through the use of one-way cam surface actuating means for the brake, it becomes possible to readily and easily adjust the stroke of the pinion l!) along th shaft 30, and this in turn enables composition friction material or the like to be employed in the brake. Such composition friction material enables smooth braking operation to be attained, and

the desirable operating characteristics thus attained may be maintained throughout the entire wearing range of the friction discs merely by making the necessary adjustments of thecam' head 41. The cam surfaces MC and MC are'of course protected and housed by the cylindrical wall MW so that falling pieces of building ma-- terial cannot interfere with th operation of the cam surfaces. .In the use of the winch of the present invention, the reversible handle may be located in the safety position of Fig. 1 so as to engage the frame of the winch to prevent unwinding movement thereof. In addition, the safety pawl 5i may be located in its safety position of Fig. 1 and this affords a second safety feature. The friction brake arrangement that is afforded by the cams 40C and MC affords a third safety feature, and since this cam arrangement may be readily adjusted, the use of composition friction material in the brake is rendered possible.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a hand operated winch or the like, a frame, an operating shaft rotatably mounted in said frame and having an operating means associated therewith whereby said shaft may be oppositely rotated selectively in lifting or lowering directions, a ratchet rotatably mounted on said shaft, a pawl pivoted on said frame and normally engaged with said ratchet to hold the same against rotation in said lowering direction, a pinion rotatably mounted on said shaft on one side of said ratchet, a cam head member fixed in a non-rotative relation on said shaft at the end of said pinion opposite from said ratchet, individual friction clutch means disposed between said pinion and said ratchet and between said ratchet and said shaft, a sleeve member fixed to said pinion and extended toward said cam head member, cam elements formed on said members and acting to force said pinion toward said ratchet when said shaft is rotated in a lifting direction relative to said pinion to engage said friction clutch means and thus connect said shaft, said ratchet and said pinion as a unit, a protecting sleeve formed on one of said members and extending axially therefrom so as to enclose and protect said cam surfaces, and adjustable abutment means on said shaft for adjusting the endwise position of said cam head member on said shaft.

2. In a hand operated winch or the like, a frame, an operating shaft rotatably mounted in said frame and having an operating means associated therewith whereby said shaft may be oppositely rotated selectively in lifting or lowering directions, a ratchet rotatably mounted on said shaft, a pawl pivoted on said frame and normally engaged with said ratchet to hold the same against rotation in said lowering direction, a pinion member mounted on said shaft for rotation relative thereto and located on one side of said ratchet, a cam head member fixed in a nonrotative relation on said shaft at the end of said pinion member opposite from said ratchet, individual friction clutch means disposed between said pinion member and said ratchet and between said ratchet and said shaft, cooperating cam elements formed on the respective adjacent ends of said members and operatively engaging each other at at least three equally spaced points spaced about the axis of said shaft to force said pinion with a balanced action in an endwise di-" rection toward said ratchet when said shaft is rotated in a lifting direction relative to said pinion to engage said friction clutch means and thus connect said shaft, said ratchet and said pinion as a unit, and adjustable abutment means on said shaft for adjusting the endwise position of said cam head member on said shaft.

- MATTHIAS F. SASGEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,424,910 Benson July 29, 1947' 

